Bowl BABY

One of the things we like to do every now and then as a family is bowl.

Holly does pretty good with bumpers.

Josh is trying to not granny it.  You know, he is getting older.  I just have  a hard time explaining to him how to hold it because he is left handed an I'm right handed.

Fourth of July fun

We went to Mississippi for the fourth of July.  We decided to take a road trip to Shiloh and see the historical site.

This is inside the museum.

Here we are at the cemetery, did I mention it was quite HOT!

Checking out the headstone.

We also went to some cemeteries in Mississippi to see some family headstones.  Every year before school is out we make a list of fun things to do, going to a cementary was one of Holly's ideas.

Holly in grandma's curlers.  Just had to add it because it is cute.

Berry Pickin'

We went berry pickin' with our friends the Pehrson's and

Susan.  My kids love Susan.  Every Monday we go to her house so I can quilt and they watched Netflix and had a cookie or two that Susan always had ready for them.  I think going to her house was one of the things the kids would miss when school started again.

We picked blueberries and Susan picked blackberries. Yum, but man it was hot!

Cub Scouts here we come

 Josh has been counting down until the time he could go to Cub Scouts.  He goes to a troop that meets at our church building.  His den leader is awesome, she has a ton of boys since the beginning of summer.  Oma and Opa gave him part of his uniform and we got the rest. 

One of their activities they went to the firehouse and took a tour.  The firemen got a call while we were there, but they came back shortly after leaving.  The firemen were very patient and answered all our questions.

 I think this was the best part of the tour.  They turned on the hose and the boys played in the spray that dropped from the main stream.  He has gone swimming, picked up trash at the park, worked on Faith in God and other goals, and he is still excited.

Josh's baptism

I can't believe he is already this old.  My little bug already baptized.  From the moment I entered the room I started to cry.  The Elders had set up the font and room.  They put out the nice chairs had a table with the podium on it; another table with tablecloth on it and pictures of children and Christ and a small round table with flowers and a place for programs and to sign-in at the door.  They even pushed in the piano.  It was beautiful!  That started the cry fest right there.

Don was the one to baptize Josh.  As he said the prayer he choked up, it was sweet.  Josh was beaming when he came out of the water.

We tried to make it a family affair, unfortunately Don's parents couldn't make it at the end so we rearrange somethings.  I wanted all the grandparents to be involved for sure.  I had Holly give the opening prayer, Aunt Arwen gave a talk on Baptism, Don baptized and Uncle Mike and Opa witnessed, the cousins sang a song, Oma gave a talk on the Holy Ghost and I said the closing prayer.  It was a spiritual experience that I will always cherish, I think Josh liked it too.

Josh's Birthday Great to be 8!

 Josh turned eight this summer, yay.  Our kids only get parties on certain birthdays, this was one of those years, he was so EXCITED!
We set a slip n slide and sprinklers and a huge beach ball that sprayed water out of it (thanks Uncle Mike and Aunt Arwen).  That's one of the perks of a summer birthday you just set up a bunch of water stuff have some water guns and let them go at it.  Through in a Spiderman pinata at the end (thanks Oma and Opa) and can life get any better.    The draw back to a summer birthday is that many of your friends are out of town, due to family trips, but

that's ok the cousins filled in quite nicely. 

Opa on the grill, hot dogs and hamburgers.  Sporting a UT hat, go VOLS, just kidding I am not really into sports.  Oh great, now they're gonna kick me out of Knoxville.

Holly and Cousin Eden

Holly enjoyed all of her cousins, she has three girl cousins so there was always someone to hang out with, ah that's the life.

Arwen holding Emmalynn and sporting a new do.

Katerina and Marion.

Oma taking pictures in adorable braids.

Josh getting ready for the birthday cupcakes I made little lego pieces on them.

Josh opening a ton of presents!

Family visits and summer

So here we go, the summer review.  Sometimes I think back about a summer and think that was a busy summer, but what did we really do.  Thank goodness for pictures.  So for the next week we will have summer review/catchup.

My brother Mike and his wife Arwen and their kids: Dallin, Eden, Marion, and Emmalynn came for a quick visit and we loved every moment of it.  They live overseas so anytime we get to see them is 
wonderful.  They came for Josh's birthday.  They came and stayed at our house.  All the girls in the same room (giggle-giggle) and 
 Josh and Dallin bunked it in the basement.  Poor Dallin got sick at the very end, but other than that we had a wet time.  We went to the downtown splash pad and the communtiy pool.  We had Josh's birthday party.  And of course staying up late and playing games. 

I love to play games.  I can play cards with my sister Arwen for hours, and we did.  We talk, eat, play, laugh, get loopy, it's awesome.  I really miss them.

Not only did my brother and his family come, but my parents came too.  Oma and Opa, as soon as they left my kids want to know when they'll come back.  The really sit down and play with the kids and listen to them.  The should get grandparents of the year awards.  While they were at my house Dad was introduced to Skip-bo and played many games with Josh.  Mom and Dad were introduced to Angry Birds on my sisters I pad.  I love when my family is all around me.  I guess that is what the celestial kingdom will be like.